Watford pair feature as England Under-21s beat Portugal

2:24pm Saturday 14th November 2009

By Anthony Matthews

Watford duo Scott Loach and Tom Cleverley continued to add to their international experience this afternoon as England Under-21s beat Portugal 1-0 in their Euro 2011 qualifier at a wet and windy Wembley Stadium.

The Hornets keeper, winning his tenth cap for Stuart Pearce’s side, had a largely trouble free 90 minutes against a blunt Portugese attack, while on-loan Manchester United team-mate Cleverley produced some eye-catching moments at the other end of the field.

The win, which was secured by man-of-the-match and former Vicarage Road loanee Danny Rose, moves England to within three points of Group Nine leaders Greece with a game in hand.

Cleverley, who had looked to attack Portugese left-back Fabio Faria from the outset, almost set up England’s opener in the 23rd minute when his tantalising right-sided cross cleared keeper Ventura and former Rose looked certain to score, only for his header from barely a yard out to hit the bar. However, the blushes of the Tottenham Hotspur youngster, who is currently with Peterborough United, were spared by the assistant’s flag.

However, three minutes later Loach could have been picking the ball out of his own net – but, instead, rightly castigated his defence - after Pereirinha was allowed to break into the right side of the area unchecked and pick out Yazalde, but the unmarked striker blazed horribly over from eight yards.

Portugal were made to regret that miss five minutes before the interval when the hosts took the lead.

Newcastle United Andy Carroll striker did well to get in between two defenders and head Michael Mancienne’s long ball forward down and the unmarked Rose was left with the straightforward task of beating Ventura from close range to net his first goal at this level.

Cleverley, making his fourth appearance for the Under-21s, continued to be involved in England’s better attacking moments after the break as well, and might have won a penalty in the 70th minute when Fabio Faria appeared to foul him in the area but German referee Thorsten Kinhofer waved away the appeals.

Although another former Watford loanee, Jack Cork, was a second-half substitute, Henri Lansbury was not given a run out by Pearce. But the Arsenal youngster will be hoping to see some action on Tuesday when England’s qualifying campaign continues in Lithuania.

England Under-21s: Loach; Mancienne (Naughton, 76), Richards, Smalling, Bertrand; Muamba; Cleverley, Gibbs, Delph (Gosling, 90), Rose (Cork, 76); Carroll. Not used: Fielding, Lansbury, Sturridge and Hines.

Portugal Under-21s: Ventura; Pereirinha, Daniel Carrico, Miguel Vitor, Fabio Faria; Pedro Moreira, Adrien Silva (Castro, 64); Fredy (Tiago Cintra, 57), Rui Pedro (Joao Aurelio, 78), Ukra; Yazalde. Not used: Andre Pinto, Rabiola, Diego Silva and Andre Santos.